This archive report was first published on 23 May 2020.
On May 8, 2020, Chadema Party Councillor Ally Bananga filed an application with the East African Court of Justice First Instance Division in Arusha, seeking to nullify the East African Legislative Assembly's (Eala) virtual video conferencing parliamentary sessions.
According to the application, filed through lawyer Philip Philemon Mushi, Mr. Bananga argues that the move to conduct parliamentary business through virtual meetings is against Eala's Rules of Procedure.
He claims that the virtual meetings contravene the rules by not having the usual Speaker's procession and the Mace in the House, and that the assembly should have amended its rules of procedure to allow for virtual meetings.
Mr. Bananga wants the court to nullify the assembly's session and committee meetings that were held in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic measures among the partner states.
He argues that the Treaty of EAC and the Rules of Procedure for Eala explicitly provide that the assembly shall meet at Arusha in the United Republic of Tanzania and not virtually.
“While the Treaty of EAC and the Rules of Procedure for Eala explicitly provide that the assembly shall meet at Arusha in the United Republic of Tanzania and not virtually; where all members of the Assembly are currently in their respective partner states,” said Mr. Bananga in his application.
